Saddam goes to Elle with a Virgin in tow

The Irish Independent ^ | March 23, 2003 | NICK WEBB

[MadIvan]

AN offshore company believed to be controlled by beleagured Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein owns a stake in a number of Virgin Megastore outlets as well as a slice of women's glossy magazine Elle.

It is understood that Montana Management Inc, a Panamanian registered company, holds about 2 per cent of the listed French conglomerate Lagardere, which owns these assets. Montana is said to be controlled by Saddam and his Iraqi henchmen. Saddam's shares are worth €101.4m, however the Montana shareholding has been frozen by the company. The shareholding was discovered by detectives working for the Kuwaiti government.

Lagardere owns the Virgin Megastore group in France, which it bought from Richard Branson three years ago. Its Hachette media division publishes a battery of magazines including Elle , which sells several thousand every month in Ireland. Lagardere also has a stake in the Airbus manufacturing operation. The company is capitalised at over €5bn based on last week's closing prices.

Saddam and his cronies have systematically looted Iraq and are thought to have salted away as much as $31 billion in Swiss and Japanese banks. The dictator is also thought to control shares in a number of European companies including the German Daimler Benz luxury car manufacturer. Saddam's shares seem to be held through a Byzantine web of secretive offshore holding companies, thought to have been set up by Iraqi intelligence operatives.

[MadIvan]

Hmm, wonder what his campaign contributions in Europe would reveal?

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Hmm, wonder what his campaign contributions in Europe would reveal?

Probably not many surprises.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

So the French own Virgin Records? What about Virgin Airlines? Does anyone know?

[Pan_Yan]

Virgin airlines got sold to Singapore Air several years ago.

[Grampa Dave]

We are very interested in his campaign donations in America the past two decades. Also, his donations to the enviroterrorists and the so called legit enviral organizations like Club Sierra will be of interest.

Probably every vile rat senator and congressit has gotten some type of funding.

The French funding of American politicians needs to be explored.

[Grampa Dave]

Here is my list of French companies, products and services to avoid. The massive magazine publisher, Hachette Filipacchi, is listed at the bottom of my list with the *** marking the company and magazines.

Here is a list of French companies and their products to avoid for the rest of this decade. Please keep this list and send it to your relatives, friends and fellow conservatives via e and snail mail!

*New additions to the list thanks to Freepers. If you have an addition, Freepmail me with the URL showing French ownership.

Air France
Air Liquide
Airbus
Alcatel - Based in Paris France
Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France
Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)
AXA Advisors
*Bacou-Dalloz-Makes Industrial protective devices
Bank of the West - Owned by BNP Paribas
Beneteau (boats)
BF Goodrich - Owned by Michelin
BIC (Razors, Pens & Lighters) - Started in 1945 by Marcel Bich. Originally based just outside of Paris. Began trading on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. 40.5% Publicly traded. Bich family still owns 33.5%.
Biotherm (Cosmetics)
Black Bush
Bollinger (Champagne)
*Browning Firearms**
Car & Driver Magazine
Cartier
Chanel
Chivas Regal (Scotch)
Christian Dior
Club Med (Vacations) - Owned in part by Paris based CDC (Caisse des Dépôts
et Consignations)
Culligan (owned by Vivendi)
Dannon (Yogurt & Dairy Foods)
*Danone -Lea and Perrin, Evian and other food/water
*Decatholon Super Sport Stores or MVP Sport Stores*
* Dassault Systemes-(CATIA design software)*
DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.
*DMC THREADS
Dom Perignon
Durand Crystal
Elle Magazine
*Emile Henry French Cookware
*Enertec makes high speed recorders used in Recon aircraft
Essilor Optical Products
Evian
Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields
First Hawaiian Bank
George Magazine
Givenchy
*Grey Goose Vodka
*GroupeSEB owns Krups, Moulinex, Roweta and Tefal Cookware
*Groupe Shneider, owner of Modicon and Square D
*Guerlain Fragrances
*Hachette Filipacchi owner publisher of many magazines sold in the USA. See the list below:***
Hennessy
Houghton Mifflin (books)
International Herald Tribune - 181 ave Charles-de-Gaulle - F-92521 Neuilly - FRSource:World Business Council for Sustainable Development '00 [Domain Registration], [Corporate Profile]
Jacobs Creek - Owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989
Jameson (wiskey)
Jerry Springer (talk show)
Krups
Lancome
*Lea & Perrins a product of Danon
Le Creuset (Cookware)
L'Oreal (Health & Beauty Products)
Louis Vuitton
Marie Claire
Martel Cognac
Maybelline
Méphisto (Footwear & Apparel)
Michelin (Tires & Auto Parts) - Their phone number is: (33) 1 45 66 15 53 in France
Mikasa Crystal and Glass (purchased by ARC int'l in 2001)
Moet (Champagne)
Motel 6 - 33, Avenue du Maine- 75755 Paris Cedex 15 France
Motown Records
MP3.com
Mumms (Champagne)
Nissan (Cars) - Majority owned by Renault
Nivea
Normany Butter
Parents Magazine
*Perrier
Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French
Pierre Cardin
Playstation Magazine
ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising)
RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Red Magazine
Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Renault (Automobiles)
Road & Track Magazine
Roquefort Cheese - All Roquefort cheese is made in France
Rowenta (Toasters, Irons, Coffee makers, etc)
Royal Canadian
Salomon (Skis)
Seagram's Gin
Sierra Software and Computer Games
*Sodexho Alliance* French Food Caterer for the US Marines
Sofitel (Hotels) - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Sparkletts (Water) - Owned by Danone, based in France
Spencer Gifts
Sundance Channel
Taylor Made (Golf)
Technicolor
T-Fal (Kitchenware)
The Glenlivet (Scotch
*Top Tobacco - Dist. by Republic Tobacco L.P., Glenview IL, made in France
UbiSoft (Computer Games)
Uniroyal
Uniroyal Tires - Owned by Michelin
Universal Studios (Music, Movies & Theme Parks) - Universal Studios is owned by Vivendi-Universal, headquartered in Paris France
USFilter
Veritas Group
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
Vittel
Vivendi - Vivendi Headquarters, Paris France
Wild Turkey (bourbon)
*Winchester Firearms (US Repeating Arms)**
Woman's Day Magazine
Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait
Yves Saint Laurent
*Yves Rocher Cosmetics
*ZigZag (tobacco papers and roller products)*
Zodiac Inflatable Boats

*New additions to the list thanks to Freepers. If you have an addition, Freepmail me with the URL showing French ownership.
** Sad news but these two companies are owned by the Belgian Company Herstal, (French Light)
***List of 18 magazines sold in USA by Hachette Filipacchi with an estimated 50 million readers:
American Photo, Boating, Car Stereo Review's Mobile Entertainment, Cycle World, ELLE Decor, ELLEgirl, Flying, Home, Metropolitan Home, Popular Photography, Premiere, Sound & Vision, Travel Holiday, Woman's Day Woman's Day Special Interest Publications.

[LiteKeeper]

bump

[LonePalm]

It would seem that the only thing Virgin in France these days are their brains. Like their rifles, never been used and only dropped once.

If any one would question my family's motto being in French, I would politely suggest that they first ask the same of Queen Elizabeth. I doubt they would get such a polite response from the members of the Order of the Garter.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Jamais reculez á tyrannie un pouce!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! Never give an inch to tyranny!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)